


Mutually Moving On

by JAKQ7111



Category: Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu | Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War
Genre: Crying, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Lex is a Good Friend, Moving On, Rebound, Tsunderes, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:42:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26345797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JAKQ7111/pseuds/JAKQ7111
Summary: Aideen and Jamke are now engaged. Lex, comforting Azel, encourages him to talk to a grieving Lachesis for some mutual comfort.
Relationships: Azelle & Lex (Fire Emblem), Azelle/Raquesis | Lachesis, Background Ayra/Lex, Implied Aideen/Jamke, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Kudos: 7





	Mutually Moving On

_“She's engaged.”_ Azel thought to himself, sighing wistfully. _“I chickened out, and now she's engaged.”_

“That was a mighty sigh you just let out!” Lex confidently strode up to the scenic Agustrian beach, taking a seat beside his red-haired friend. “Thinking about Aideen again?”

“Oh...hello, Lex.” the fire mage looked over at the man next to him, wrapping his arms around his knees. “It's...nothing. Don't worry about it.”

“Azel, you're my best friend. If you're upset about something, like say, the girl you've been in love with since we were kids getting engaged to a handsome prince last night, then I want you to talk to me about it!” Lex wrapped his arm around Azel's shoulders. “I've got you. Now tell me. What's on your mind?”

Azel just sighed again, leaning into the axe knight's touch. He knew how stubborn Lex was, and he had just read him like a book. There was no use hiding how he felt anymore.

“I just wish I had done something sooner.” the redhead looked down, trying to fight back the tears that were filling his eyes. “I thought by joining Sigurd's rescue party, I would be able to get the courage to finally tell her how I feel! But...every time I tried to talk to her about it, something would stop me! And now I've missed my chance forever. All because I'm too much of a chicken to tell a woman I love her.”

At this point, Azel couldn't fight his tears any longer, and withdrew further into himself. Wordlessly, Lex pulled his friend closer in, rubbing the mage's back as he sobbed into his chest. Azel desperately clutched Lex's shirt as he wept, releasing all of the pent-up anguish he felt over this unrequited love.

After a few minutes, Azel's sobs slowed and he pulled out of Lex's arms. He looked back up at the axe knight with a soft, quavering smile.

“Th-thanks, Lex.” he sniffled, wiping his bloodshot eyes on his sleeve. “I think I needed that.”

“Don't mention it, bud.” the larger man clapped his friend's shoulder one more time. “I'm always here if you need me. You know that.”

“Yeah, I know.” Azel exhaled, gaze turning back to the ground. “I just wish I knew what to do, you know? I want to be happy for Aideen and Prince Jamke. I just wish it didn't hurt so much to think about the two of them together.”

“It sounds like what you need is a good old-fashioned rebound!” Lex boisterously replied. “There's nothing that gets your mind off of a girl than another girl! Now come on! Is there anyone here who catches your eye?”

Azel thought for a moment. Now that Aideen was engaged to Jamke, there weren't many eligible bachelorettes left in Sigurd's army. There was Ayra, but she and Lex had been getting pretty cozy ever since he gave her that brave sword last month. Then there were Sylvia and Erin, but they both seemed to have eyes for that bard, Lewyn. That just left one woman, and she was quite possibly the only one besides Sigurd himself who was in more emotional pain than Azel.

“Well, I suppose there's Lachesis.” the mage spoke back up. “She's been through a lot in the past few months...with her brother and everything. I guess I am worried about her.”

“Lachesis, eh?” Lex looked askance at his friend. “You like the blonde healer type, don't you?” he gently elbowed Azel's side and chuckled. “But you're probably right. Seems like she could use some company, too. Just...be careful, alright? I wouldn't want the Lioness of Nordion to eat you alive!”

That phrasing caused Azel to let out a slight laugh of his own. “Y-yeah...Lachesis can be scary...but I hope I can do something to make her feel better.”

“That's the spirit!” the axe knight replied. “Now go get 'er! Pretty sure that's her up on that hill by Silvail Castle. I'll be rooting for ya!”

“A-alright!” Azel tentatively nodded. “I'll give it my best shot! Thanks for the pep talk, Lex.”

“What are friends for?” Lex smirked, standing up and offering a hand to his friend to do the same. “I've got to run. Ayra asked me to spar with her, and I won't pass up the chance!” he waggled his eyebrows suggestively. “Let me know how it goes!”

The fire mage simply nodded, taking the taller man's hand to stand up. He took a deep breath as he walked up the small hill to talk with the grieving noblewoman.

When Azel climbed up the grassy hill, he found Lachesis sitting alone, quietly staring out at the ocean with red-rimmed eyes. It was only natural that she would be this pensive, seeing how her brother had only recently been executed by the corrupt King Chagall, but seeing the proud woman like that broke the mage's heart. 

“Uh...hey, Lachesis.” he softly called. “You doing alright?”

“What do you want, Azel?” Lachesis brusquely replied, voice slightly quavering.

“N-nothing!” the redhead jumped back, holding his hands in front of his body. “I...just wanted to check on you. You look like you've been crying.”

The noblewoman scoffed, pointing out Azel's own tear-stained cheeks and puffy eyes. “Oh yeah?” she let out something between a pained laugh and a choked sob. “So have you.”

That comment made Azel flush with embarrassment. He didn't exactly have time to clean himself up after his talk with Lex. Still, he tried to be as calm and supportive to this young woman as possible.

“Yeah...it's a long story.” he tried to brush past it. “I won't bore you with the details. But I think we could both use some company right now. Do you mind if I sit next to you?”

Lachesis sighed in exasperation. “Fine. If you must.”

Azel slowly lowered himself onto the soft grass, sitting beside the noblewoman. Several seconds of uncomfortable silence passed before the mage pushed past it and spoke back up.

“I'm sorry about your brother, Lachesis.” he mumbled, not making eye contact with his companion. “I know it must be hard for you.”

“You couldn't _possibly_ know how I feel!” the blonde snipped back. “Eldie was...is...the greatest guy in the world! Way more honorable than that dastard Chagall deserves!” her hands balled into fists as her brown eyes filled once more with hot tears. “He was my hero...my knight in shining armor...my everything! And now he's gone! There's no way someone like you could understand what I'm going through right now!”

“Lachesis...” Azel's eyes welled up once more. He had plenty of things to say. About his dad, and about Arvis. But first, he knew the proud woman in front of him desperately needed comfort. While he was never the best at knowing how to console a grieving woman, he instinctively did the one thing he knew to do, and that was to reach out his hand and grasp her own, squeezing it lightly as he did. The last time he even thought about holding a woman's hand that wasn't Aideen's was over five years ago. Back when he was barely more than a child, cupping Tailtiu's palm with his own to prevent her from crying at her grandmother's funeral.

Shockingly, Lachesis responded by clutching his hand tightly. He could feel her shaking as she did so, and when he look over at her, he saw her eyes were squeezed shut, and she had bitten down on her lower lip to keep it from trembling. Once she opened her eyes, she realized Azel was looking at her, his own face drawn with concern. Then, in the blink of an eye, she threw her arms around the sensitive mage, sobbing violently into his shoulder. All he could think to do in that moment was reach his hand up and stroke her shiny blonde hair in an attempt to calm her down. Gods, to hold such a beautiful, charming woman like this? It would bring butterflies to anyone's stomach and color to anyone's cheeks. Even someone deep in the throes of unrequited love like Azel.

And just as Azel's had before, Lachesis' sobs eventually stilled and she pulled away from the mage's grip. Embarrassed, she hurriedly brushed the hair away from her face and wiped her eyes.

“S-sorry.” the noblewoman whispered. “You shouldn't have seen that.”

“It's really okay, Lachesis.” the mage soothingly replied, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder. “There are people here who care about you, and worry about you.”

“Oh yeah?” Lachesis shot back. “And you're one of them?”

“Well...yeah.” Azel confessed, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. “I guess I am. I know it doesn't look like it, but you and I actually have some things in common, so I guess...I understand you...a little.”

“What could you _possibly_ have in common with me?” the noblewoman spat.

“Well, I have an older brother, too, you know?” the mage shyly replied, trying to work through his anxiety. “He can be pretty distant sometimes, and scary, too. But...he's a good guy deep down. We don't exactly have parents anymore...and I never knew my dad...so growing up, Arvis was the only company I had most of the time. I know how close you were to Lord Eldigan, and when I heard what happened to him, I thought about how I would feel if I lost Arvis, and...I don't know what I'd do.”

“No. You don't.” Lachesis glared at her companion. “What Eldie and I had...was really special. And whatever bond you have with your brother...it's just not the same, alright?” the proud woman sniffled, returning her gaze to the horizon, now glowing orange from the setting sun. “So don't pretend like you understand me, because you can't. Nobody can.”

“I believe it.” Azel replied, voice still hushed and comforting. “But I really do feel for you, Lachesis. And I want you to know that it's okay to let yourself be vulnerable in front of people. You don't have to put on a brave face all the time. Not for us. We're your comrades...and hopefully your friends, too.”

“I never wanted friends, you know.” the noblewoman muttered. “Not when I had Eldie always looking out for me. But...now that he's gone...” her eyes filled with tears once more, “I guess I have to accept it.”

“I'm glad to hear you say that.” the mage smiled, cheeks turning pink. “And...I hope I helped at all. You looked like you needed someone to talk to.”

Lachesis didn't respond with words. Instead, she reached upward and forcefully kissed Azel's lips. Eyes widening, the redhead gasped into her kiss, eventually relaxing around her. Before he knew it, she pulled away, blushing herself.

“Thanks.” a surprising shyness overcame the noblewoman, averting her gaze from the mage and softly smiling. “For everything.”

All Azel could do to reply was nervously giggle, a dumb grin stretching across his face.

“Uh...you're welcome.” he whispered after a few seconds. “Anytime, Lachesis.”

“Take care of yourself, okay?” she squeezed his hand before walking away to clean herself up.

Azel continued to sit and watch the sunset by himself, taking in everything that happened in these past few hours. Meanwhile, at the bottom of the hill, Lex and Ayra stood, holding hands as the axe knight smiled at his friend off in the distance. He knew this was what he needed to move on.


End file.
